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Foreign News
August 21, 1779
The Virginia Gazette
Richmond, Williamsburg, Richmond County, Virginia
What is this article about?
On July 3, 1779, articles of capitulation were signed between French Lt. Le Chevalier de Forlong Du Rumain and British Gov. Valentine Morris for the surrender of St. Vincent. Terms cover troop evacuation, inhabitant rights, property protection, and neutrality during the war.
Merged-components note: This is a continuation of the articles of capitulation between French and British forces on St. Vincent, reported as foreign news. The second component starts with the 36th article and includes signatures and references, directly following the 35th article in the first component.
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From the Antigua Mercury, July 3, 1779.
ARTICLES of CAPITULATION between Le Chevalier de Forlong
Du Rumain, Lieutenant of his Most Christian Majesty, Commander in
Chief of the French troops, and his Excellency VALENTINE MORRIS,
Esquire. Captain General and Governour in Chief, in and over his
Majesty's Island of St. Vincent, and its dependencies, Chancellor, Ordi-
nary, and Vice Admiral of the same, &c.
GOVERNOUR MORRIS demands, in the first
place, that the officer and drummer sent by him
yesterday to the commander of the French troops
be restored to him; the detaining these when sent
as a flag of truce, and then continuing to march on, appearing to him
to have been a great infringement of the laws of war.
Granted.
2d. The Governour and staff officers, officers of the troops and soldiers,
to march out with their colours flying, drums beating, ten rounds apiece,
with two brass field pieces, arms, baggage, and all the honours of war.
Granted.
3d. The regular troops, officers, soldiers, and artillery men, to be
carried to the island of Antigua in good vessels, sufficiently victualled at
the expense of his Most Christian Majesty, and there to be at liberty to
board, the Governour engaging an equal number of equal qualities
of French prisoners to be exchanged in their room.
The same of one officer of Engineers and an assistant Engineer.
The troops shall be exchanged at Antigua for an equal number of French
prisoners.
4th. The officers and others shall have liberty to carry their wives and
families, and domestick slaves, to the English islands by the shortest route,
and that they shall be furnished with good vessels and provisions for their
passage.
Granted.
5th. The inhabitants of the island shall march out of their posts with
the honours of war, their baggage, arms and colours, drums beating
and lighted matches.
The inhabitants shall go freely to their homes.
6th. The inhabitants of the island shall continue to enjoy their civil
government, their laws, usages, and ordinances; justice shall be admi-
distred, by the same persons that are now in office, and the inferior
police of the island shall be settled between his Most Christian Majesty's
Governour and the inhabitants; and in case the island be ceded to the
King of France at the peace, the inhabitants shall be at liberty, either
to preserve their political government, or to accept that which is established
in Martinique and the French islands.
Granted.
7th. The inhabitants, both secular and clergy, shall be maintained in
the possession of their real and personal estates and property of what nature
soever, as well as in the enjoyment of their rights and privileges, honours
and immunities, and the free negroes and mulattoes in their freedom.
Granted.
8th. That they shall pay no other duty to his Most Christian Majesty
than they paid to his Britannick Majesty, without any other tax or impost;
the expense of the administration of justice, the salaries of Ministers, and
other ordinary charges, shall be paid out of the revenues of his Most
Christian Majesty, in like manner as under the government of his Britan-
nick Majesty.
Granted, if it was granted at Dominica.
9th. That the slaves, baggage, vessels, merchandize, and every thing
else taken since the landing of the French troops, and during the attack
of this island, shall be restored,
Granted as far as it possibly can be effected.
10th. The absent inhabitants and those in the service of his Britannick
Majesty, shall be maintained in the enjoyment and possession of their
estates and effects, which shall be managed by their attornies.
Granted
11th. The inhabitants shall not be compelled to furnish quarters or any
thing else for the troops, or slaves to work on the fortifications.
This article cannot be granted.
12th. The ships, vessels, and droghers, belonging to the inhabitants
of this island, shall remain their property.
Granted.
13th. The widows and other inhabitants, who from sickness or other
obstacles cannot sign the capitulation, shall have a limited time to agree
to it.
Granted.
14th. The inhabitants and merchants of the island comprehended in
the present capitulation, shall enjoy all the privileges of trade, on the
same terms as are granted to the subjects of his Most Christian Majesty,
throughout the extent of his dominions.
Granted,
15th. The inhabitants shall observe a strict neutrality, and not be
enforced to take up arms against his Britannick Majesty or any other power.
Granted.
16th. The inhabitants shall enjoy the free exercise of their religion,
and the Ministers their curacies.
Granted.
17th. All the prisoners taken, or persons detained, since the landing
of the French troops, shall be reciprocally restored.
Granted.
18th. Merchants of the island may receive ships to their address without
being confiscated, dispose of their merchandize and carry on trade, and
the port shall be entirely free on paying the same duties as in the French
islands.
Agreed, provided they wear French colours after they arrive.
19th. The inhabitants shall keep their arms.
Rejected.
20th. No persons but those now resident on the island, or at present
proprietors of lands and houses, shall hold any house or lands by purchase,
or otherwise, until the peace; but at the peace, if this island be ceded
to the King of France, the inhabitants who decline being under the French
government may then be at liberty to sell their estates, both real and
personal, to whom they please, and to retire where they shall think
proper, for which purpose a reasonable time be allowed them.
Granted.
21st. The inhabitants of the island may send their children to be
educated in England, as well as to send them back, and to make remittances
for their maintenance while in England.
Granted.
22d. The inhabitants shall be at liberty to sell their estates and effects
to whom they think fit.
Granted.
23d. That the Court of Chancery Shall be held by the members of the
Council, and the proceedings be the same as are now used in the island,
except that all writs and other process shall be granted by the President
of the Council, and the great seal now used in this island shall be given
unto and remain in his custody for the purpose of sealing all writs, process,
and decrees, issuing out of and made by the said court.
Granted, if it was granted at Dominica.
24th. That the wives of such officers and others as are not in the island,
may retire with their effects, and the number of domesticks according to
their rank.
Granted.
25th. There shall be delivered to the General of the French troops,
all the artillery and stores in the colony of St. Vincent, belonging to the
King of England, all the batteries on the coast and the respective posts,
as well in the Caraib country as elsewhere in the island, shall be surrendered
in the same state they were in when the island was attacked, such injury
as they may have received in any attack excepted; all the arms belonging
to the King of England's troops shall be delivered in like condition,
excepting those of the troops and militia, no powder shall be secreted or
carried out of the magazines, which shall be delivered by the Governour.
Granted.
26th. None of the Indians or Caraibs shall on any account be permitted
to garrison or be quartered in any of the forts, posts, towns, or houses
in the island, and the inhabitants demand and expect the protection of
his Most Christian Majesty's commander, to preserve their persons and
property inviolate, as long as they faithfully observe the present articles
of capitulation.
Granted with the exception in the references.
27th. All negroes now absent or run away shall when taken and brought
in, be delivered up to their proprietors, and if any such are harboured by
the Indians, Caraibs, or free Negroes, they shall thereupon be restored.
Granted.
28th. Whatever depredations the Caraibs have committed during, or
since the attack of the island; they be compelled to instantly desist there-
from, and be made to release and give up all slaves and effects which they
have taken, and to be fully restrained from hereafter committing the least
disorder on the persons and effects of the inhabitants.
As much justice as possible shall be rendered.
29th. All the Caraibs now under arms, and who have joined the French
troops, to be immediately disarmed, dismissed and ordered to their
respective homes; and all others now in arms, to be disarmed and also
compelled to retire to their respective homes, and remain in their own
district.
Granted with the exceptions in the reference.
30th. A safeguard to be granted for all the papers at the government
house, and these not to be liable to any inspection, and Governour Morris
to be at liberty either to keep these there or to remove them.
Granted.
31st. The like to be granted for all papers and records in the respective
offices of the Customs, the Marshal, Secretary and Register, Receiver
General, Treasurer and Commissary, and of all publick records and
papers, to be left in the custody of their respective officers and not be
inspected.
Granted.
32d. Permission to send either to England or to some of his Majesty's
Admirals or Governours, advice, to be forwarded to his Britannick
Majesty of the present event.
Whenever the Governour thinks proper.
33d. Governour Morris to remain in the island some time, in order to
settle his own private affairs; as also any of the King's officers if required.
Granted.
Demanded by the French General.
34th. The inhabitants shall not be obliged to pay any debts due to
English persons not residing in this island, and who are not capitulants
thereof, until the end of the war.
35th. All vessels taken after the capitulation will be restored,
Granted with the exceptions in the reference.
36th. The colony shall be obliged to advance a sum of money to pay the troops, which will be discounted from the revenue.
We the Commander in Chief of the French troops, legally authorized in the King's name by the Count d'Estaing, and Valentine Morris, Esq; Governour in Chief of the island of St. Vincent, have agreed to and signed three copies of the above thirty six articles.
Le Chevalier De Forlong Du Rumain.
VALENTINE MORRIS.
Par ordre.
DALLAN, Secretaire.
By command,
ROBERT WESTFIELD, Secretary.
REFERENCES.
1st. As to the twenty ninth article, although Mr. Canonge had allowed it, it has been agreed that the Caribs shall be sent to their homes, and these be restrained from doing any injury to the inhabitants and Red Caribs without disarming them.
2d. Relative to the twenty sixth article, after the words in any of the forts, there shall be understood, except in cases of an attack.
3d. The ships from Europe make an exception to the twenty fifth article.
LE Chevalier de Forlong DU RUMAIN.
VALENTINE MORRIS.
Par ordre,
DALLAN, Secretaire.
By command,
ROBERT WESTFIELD, Secretary.
ARTICLES of CAPITULATION between Le Chevalier de Forlong
Du Rumain, Lieutenant of his Most Christian Majesty, Commander in
Chief of the French troops, and his Excellency VALENTINE MORRIS,
Esquire. Captain General and Governour in Chief, in and over his
Majesty's Island of St. Vincent, and its dependencies, Chancellor, Ordi-
nary, and Vice Admiral of the same, &c.
GOVERNOUR MORRIS demands, in the first
place, that the officer and drummer sent by him
yesterday to the commander of the French troops
be restored to him; the detaining these when sent
as a flag of truce, and then continuing to march on, appearing to him
to have been a great infringement of the laws of war.
Granted.
2d. The Governour and staff officers, officers of the troops and soldiers,
to march out with their colours flying, drums beating, ten rounds apiece,
with two brass field pieces, arms, baggage, and all the honours of war.
Granted.
3d. The regular troops, officers, soldiers, and artillery men, to be
carried to the island of Antigua in good vessels, sufficiently victualled at
the expense of his Most Christian Majesty, and there to be at liberty to
board, the Governour engaging an equal number of equal qualities
of French prisoners to be exchanged in their room.
The same of one officer of Engineers and an assistant Engineer.
The troops shall be exchanged at Antigua for an equal number of French
prisoners.
4th. The officers and others shall have liberty to carry their wives and
families, and domestick slaves, to the English islands by the shortest route,
and that they shall be furnished with good vessels and provisions for their
passage.
Granted.
5th. The inhabitants of the island shall march out of their posts with
the honours of war, their baggage, arms and colours, drums beating
and lighted matches.
The inhabitants shall go freely to their homes.
6th. The inhabitants of the island shall continue to enjoy their civil
government, their laws, usages, and ordinances; justice shall be admi-
distred, by the same persons that are now in office, and the inferior
police of the island shall be settled between his Most Christian Majesty's
Governour and the inhabitants; and in case the island be ceded to the
King of France at the peace, the inhabitants shall be at liberty, either
to preserve their political government, or to accept that which is established
in Martinique and the French islands.
Granted.
7th. The inhabitants, both secular and clergy, shall be maintained in
the possession of their real and personal estates and property of what nature
soever, as well as in the enjoyment of their rights and privileges, honours
and immunities, and the free negroes and mulattoes in their freedom.
Granted.
8th. That they shall pay no other duty to his Most Christian Majesty
than they paid to his Britannick Majesty, without any other tax or impost;
the expense of the administration of justice, the salaries of Ministers, and
other ordinary charges, shall be paid out of the revenues of his Most
Christian Majesty, in like manner as under the government of his Britan-
nick Majesty.
Granted, if it was granted at Dominica.
9th. That the slaves, baggage, vessels, merchandize, and every thing
else taken since the landing of the French troops, and during the attack
of this island, shall be restored,
Granted as far as it possibly can be effected.
10th. The absent inhabitants and those in the service of his Britannick
Majesty, shall be maintained in the enjoyment and possession of their
estates and effects, which shall be managed by their attornies.
Granted
11th. The inhabitants shall not be compelled to furnish quarters or any
thing else for the troops, or slaves to work on the fortifications.
This article cannot be granted.
12th. The ships, vessels, and droghers, belonging to the inhabitants
of this island, shall remain their property.
Granted.
13th. The widows and other inhabitants, who from sickness or other
obstacles cannot sign the capitulation, shall have a limited time to agree
to it.
Granted.
14th. The inhabitants and merchants of the island comprehended in
the present capitulation, shall enjoy all the privileges of trade, on the
same terms as are granted to the subjects of his Most Christian Majesty,
throughout the extent of his dominions.
Granted,
15th. The inhabitants shall observe a strict neutrality, and not be
enforced to take up arms against his Britannick Majesty or any other power.
Granted.
16th. The inhabitants shall enjoy the free exercise of their religion,
and the Ministers their curacies.
Granted.
17th. All the prisoners taken, or persons detained, since the landing
of the French troops, shall be reciprocally restored.
Granted.
18th. Merchants of the island may receive ships to their address without
being confiscated, dispose of their merchandize and carry on trade, and
the port shall be entirely free on paying the same duties as in the French
islands.
Agreed, provided they wear French colours after they arrive.
19th. The inhabitants shall keep their arms.
Rejected.
20th. No persons but those now resident on the island, or at present
proprietors of lands and houses, shall hold any house or lands by purchase,
or otherwise, until the peace; but at the peace, if this island be ceded
to the King of France, the inhabitants who decline being under the French
government may then be at liberty to sell their estates, both real and
personal, to whom they please, and to retire where they shall think
proper, for which purpose a reasonable time be allowed them.
Granted.
21st. The inhabitants of the island may send their children to be
educated in England, as well as to send them back, and to make remittances
for their maintenance while in England.
Granted.
22d. The inhabitants shall be at liberty to sell their estates and effects
to whom they think fit.
Granted.
23d. That the Court of Chancery Shall be held by the members of the
Council, and the proceedings be the same as are now used in the island,
except that all writs and other process shall be granted by the President
of the Council, and the great seal now used in this island shall be given
unto and remain in his custody for the purpose of sealing all writs, process,
and decrees, issuing out of and made by the said court.
Granted, if it was granted at Dominica.
24th. That the wives of such officers and others as are not in the island,
may retire with their effects, and the number of domesticks according to
their rank.
Granted.
25th. There shall be delivered to the General of the French troops,
all the artillery and stores in the colony of St. Vincent, belonging to the
King of England, all the batteries on the coast and the respective posts,
as well in the Caraib country as elsewhere in the island, shall be surrendered
in the same state they were in when the island was attacked, such injury
as they may have received in any attack excepted; all the arms belonging
to the King of England's troops shall be delivered in like condition,
excepting those of the troops and militia, no powder shall be secreted or
carried out of the magazines, which shall be delivered by the Governour.
Granted.
26th. None of the Indians or Caraibs shall on any account be permitted
to garrison or be quartered in any of the forts, posts, towns, or houses
in the island, and the inhabitants demand and expect the protection of
his Most Christian Majesty's commander, to preserve their persons and
property inviolate, as long as they faithfully observe the present articles
of capitulation.
Granted with the exception in the references.
27th. All negroes now absent or run away shall when taken and brought
in, be delivered up to their proprietors, and if any such are harboured by
the Indians, Caraibs, or free Negroes, they shall thereupon be restored.
Granted.
28th. Whatever depredations the Caraibs have committed during, or
since the attack of the island; they be compelled to instantly desist there-
from, and be made to release and give up all slaves and effects which they
have taken, and to be fully restrained from hereafter committing the least
disorder on the persons and effects of the inhabitants.
As much justice as possible shall be rendered.
29th. All the Caraibs now under arms, and who have joined the French
troops, to be immediately disarmed, dismissed and ordered to their
respective homes; and all others now in arms, to be disarmed and also
compelled to retire to their respective homes, and remain in their own
district.
Granted with the exceptions in the reference.
30th. A safeguard to be granted for all the papers at the government
house, and these not to be liable to any inspection, and Governour Morris
to be at liberty either to keep these there or to remove them.
Granted.
31st. The like to be granted for all papers and records in the respective
offices of the Customs, the Marshal, Secretary and Register, Receiver
General, Treasurer and Commissary, and of all publick records and
papers, to be left in the custody of their respective officers and not be
inspected.
Granted.
32d. Permission to send either to England or to some of his Majesty's
Admirals or Governours, advice, to be forwarded to his Britannick
Majesty of the present event.
Whenever the Governour thinks proper.
33d. Governour Morris to remain in the island some time, in order to
settle his own private affairs; as also any of the King's officers if required.
Granted.
Demanded by the French General.
34th. The inhabitants shall not be obliged to pay any debts due to
English persons not residing in this island, and who are not capitulants
thereof, until the end of the war.
35th. All vessels taken after the capitulation will be restored,
Granted with the exceptions in the reference.
36th. The colony shall be obliged to advance a sum of money to pay the troops, which will be discounted from the revenue.
We the Commander in Chief of the French troops, legally authorized in the King's name by the Count d'Estaing, and Valentine Morris, Esq; Governour in Chief of the island of St. Vincent, have agreed to and signed three copies of the above thirty six articles.
Le Chevalier De Forlong Du Rumain.
VALENTINE MORRIS.
Par ordre.
DALLAN, Secretaire.
By command,
ROBERT WESTFIELD, Secretary.
REFERENCES.
1st. As to the twenty ninth article, although Mr. Canonge had allowed it, it has been agreed that the Caribs shall be sent to their homes, and these be restrained from doing any injury to the inhabitants and Red Caribs without disarming them.
2d. Relative to the twenty sixth article, after the words in any of the forts, there shall be understood, except in cases of an attack.
3d. The ships from Europe make an exception to the twenty fifth article.
LE Chevalier de Forlong DU RUMAIN.
VALENTINE MORRIS.
Par ordre,
DALLAN, Secretaire.
By command,
ROBERT WESTFIELD, Secretary.
What sub-type of article is it?
Diplomatic
Military Campaign
Colonial Affairs
What keywords are associated?
St Vincent Surrender
French Capitulation
British Governor Morris
French Commander Forlong
Colonial Terms
Caraibs Disarmament
What entities or persons were involved?
Le Chevalier De Forlong Du Rumain
Valentine Morris
Count D'estaing
Where did it happen?
St. Vincent
Foreign News Details
Primary Location
St. Vincent
Event Date
July 3, 1779
Key Persons
Le Chevalier De Forlong Du Rumain
Valentine Morris
Count D'estaing
Outcome
surrender of st. vincent to french forces; british troops to be transported to antigua for exchange; inhabitants retain property, laws, and neutrality; most demands granted with some exceptions and references.
Event Details
Detailed articles of capitulation outlining terms for the surrender, including restoration of flags of truce, honorable withdrawal of troops, transport and exchange of prisoners, protection of inhabitants' rights, property, religion, and trade privileges, with provisions for Caraibs and slaves; signed by French and British commanders.